Of Stolen Whispers and Borrowed Time
by LaLa Land 14
Summary: Niveielyn had everything. A loving adoptive father, a luxurious stronghold, and the freedom to come and go as she chose. Until she fled to Skyrim and became a nameless prisoner with a Destiny greater than she could’ve ever imagined.


The freezing rain had soaked through her threadbare, ragged miner's apparel and chilled her slim, toned figure as she crept over the mountainous boarder of Skyrim. With a quick, bittersweet glance back in the direction of her homeland, she pulled her green hood over her head and tucked her dripping brown hair under the cowl to hide her face and protect herself from the chill. Her knapsack was slung over her shoulder, holding the few things she had managed to save from the fort before she escaped, but she knew she wouldn't be able to last long on the few resources Luronk had left over in his trunk after the raid.

 _'I need to find a place to spend the night.'_ She wove in between the trees, her eyes alert as she listened for any approaching dangers. The ebony dagger strapped to her thigh felt like a burning coal, reminding her that she was no longer under Luronk's protection. For the first time since he had taken her under his wing, she was alone and only had a map to guide her from Cyrodiil to the province of Skyrim where the only place she recognized was Riften. Many of the thieves and sellswords who had shown their faces at Fort Shadowglade spoke of the city fondly, boasting of the finest mead and the best thieving in Tamriel. Judging by the old, ale-soaked map she carried, she was quite a ways from Riften and there was no way she'd make it there tonight, or any night soon for that matter.

The sounds of horses trodding down dirt path carved between the mountains startled her, but she had confidence that they wouldn't be able to see her in the dense woods. Soon enough, the sounds of the wagons faded away and she breathed a sigh of relief and knelt to the ground to rifle through her knapsack, putting the map away safely. It was a long walk to the closest town and she didn't want to risk losing the map during it.

So lost was she in her thoughts and exhausted from the long battle and hike from Fort Shadowglade, she failed to notice the iron sword aimed at her head from a few inches away from her. After clasping her knapsack shut, she looked up and her eyes widened as she saw the man sneering at her. "Lost, _Bosmer_?"

"I am only passing through." She spoke softly, slowly standing and leaving her knapsack by her feet. "I mean no harm to anyone."

The soldier scoffed as her eyes quickly took stock of him. He was a young Nord, his face showing barely a sign of stubble and his Imperial armor was nearly pristine. She guessed he hadn't seen a day of battle in his lifetime. "No one is allowed to wander here. Where have you come from, elf?" His sword grazed the leather belt that adorned her waist, cutting through it as easily as a knife through Eidar cheese.

"I come from Cyrodiil." She spoke the truth, her eyes locked into his as she weighed her options. She knew there was little hope of him letting her go, but she was hesitant to kill the man. "I am only looking for work and a place to sleep."

"That dagger and those scars say otherwise. What are you, a thief? Assassin?" He slowly circled around her as she raised her hands to show she wasn't reaching for her weapon.

"I have committed no crime, you can't detain me for merely wandering." She closed her left fist as she focused on casting the spell she had learned from a traveling mage not long ago.

The soldier chuckled as he kicked her knapsack, sending its contents flying across the undergrowth. All of Luronk's documents about the Shadowglade camp, several jewels, and the map were scattered and she closed her eyes momentarily, realizing there was no peaceful resolution. "Oh really? And I suppose..." He trailed off as he skimmed over one of the notes that had landed in front of his boots. "Fort Shadowglade? So you are a thief."

"I have committed no crimes in Skyrim." Her jaw was set in a grimace as she stared straight ahead, the warmth growing in her hand and giving off a slight red glow.

"Hands behind your back, elf. I'll let the General decide what to do with you." He stepped closer and she took the opening, spinning and sweeping her leg out to trip him as flames burst from her palm.

The man shrieked as his flesh was singed and he fell to the floor, his sword clattering to the earth and his body smoking as he screamed. She bent to gather her belongings quickly, only to freeze as several sets of footsteps approached her. She was surrounded by Imperial soldiers, with bows and swords aimed at her from nearly all angles.

"Seize her." One of the men spoke and she knew better than to believe she could fend off an entire Imperial battalion. She remained still as two of the men grabbed her, forcing her arms behind her back and binding them with leather strips. Her hood was yanked from her head and her dagger was torn from her side and tossed to the ground with her other belongings as she was lead towards an old, wooden cart. Three other men were inside, bound and watching the display as her captors brought her to the road. "Someone gather the lad's body, send word to the family."

She felt a sharp pain of regret as she tried to tell herself there was no other way, keeping her head bowed as she took a seat on the hard, unforgiving wooden seat. Beside her was a hulking man in a furtrimmed cloak, gagged with a rag tied around his face. Across from them were two other men, one in similar dress to herself, a tunic and pants, and one in a blue cuirass. Neither of them were gagged and she wondered for a moment why the large man was special before she slumped in her seat tiredly. It felt like days since she had last slept, although it had only been a little over 24 hours since she had awoken in her bed in Fort Shadowglade.

"Sleep, girl. Wherever they're taking us, we'll be in this cart for a long while." The ungagged, blonde man spoke kindly, nodding to her respectfully as she directed her red-eyed gaze to him.

A part of her wanted to question everything, but she could hardly focus on any one of the questions she wanted to ask, so she merely nodded and bowed her head, allowing the blissful unawareness of sleep to take her.


End file.
